The First Lady

Confession

The First Lady

By Dan Dilbert

Also by Dan Dilbert

Based on their moral values, the distinguishing character of two men on a collision course. Joseph Dillward is a young, black college student in Maza City, North Carolina who loves with his family and is determined to do the right thing. Phillip Goldwater, a white male, once CEO of Breachwind, the world’s largest, most powerful corporation, leads an effort to kill Joseph and his entire family. Why? Because Phillip has discovered that the Dillward family can lay claim to a fortune from having invested in Breachwind since the end of the American Civil War – and can also insist that Joseph be made Breachwind’s new CEO.

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THE FIRST LADY

By

Dan Dilbert

SMASHWORDS EDITION

ISBN: 9781311549921

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PUBLISHED BY:

Dan Dilbert on Smashwords

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The First Lady

Copyright © 2014 by Dan Dilbert

www.Dandilbert.com

All rights reserved.

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Cover photograph: The First Lady © Danny Golshan, www.DonnaVinci.com

Cover design: Baby Fresh Design, www.babyfreshdesign.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, are used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATIONS

This book is dedicated to you, the reader. Thank you for your support.

To my parents, Arthur Peter and Daisy Mae Dilbert, I love you both and am proud to be your son.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I cannot express enough thanks to Danny Golshan for granting me permission to use such a beautiful picture; the model on the cover. And to Baby Fresh Design for designing such an awesome cover for this book. Thank you.

The completion of this project could not have been accomplished without the support of my test readers and their feedback. Thank you Ruby Speights, the first lady of Neabsco Baptist Church; Mae Ridges; and my wife VyVyonne Dilbert.

Also to my sister-in-law, Sharon Murrell Dilbert, for being a wonderful daughter of our Lord Jesus Christ, a loveable and supportive wife, a great mother, a role model for all women to model after, and the first lady of Abundant Life Faith Center Inc. The gifts the Lord has given you are truly shining from the mountaintop.

To my caring, loving, and supportive wife, VyVyonne: I thank God for bringing you into my life. Your encouragement and choice words are duly noted. In the vastness of space and immensity of time, it is my joy to spend a planet and an epoch with you. Thank you for the positive and negative feedback you always provide. Know that you are loved!

I thank my Lord Jesus Christ for blessing me with a sound mind; I know without the Lord Jesus, I would be nothing.

OVERVIEW

Abundant Truth Baptist Church, located in Jacksonville, Florida, meticulously searched the corners of the United States for the perfect pastor; one that would serve the Church and the community by feeding and leading the flock through sound Biblical preaching, teaching, and counseling, as well as a preacher after the heart of the Lord Jesus.

After a year behind schedule and spending three times the allowable budget, the church was forced to make a selection. Although 90% of the members voted for Pastor Jerome Samiah McCoy to be the pastor of Abundant Truth Baptist Church, they were ready for him to leave and return where he came from after his first day in Jacksonville, Florida.

The leaders of Abundant Truth Baptist Church quickly noticed that their newly non-selected First Lady, Joanne Sharanay McCoy, who befriended the most unpopular citizens (homeless and gays) in Jacksonville, has become a force to be reckoned with. The members love and fear her, and they all give her the highest reverence.

Contents

Acknowledgement

Chapter one, The Culinary

Chapter two, The Health Ministry

Chapter Three, The Usher

Chapter Four, The Trustee and the City Manager

Chapter Five, The Plot

Chapter Six, Revenge Lesson

Chapter Seven, The Final plot

Chapter Eight, Submission

Chapter Nine, It’s time

Chapter Ten, the Clerk

Chapter Eleven, Disbelief

Chapter Twelve, Pastor’s Love

Chapter Thirteen, Church Planning

Chapter Fourteen, Confession

Chapter One

The Culinary

Medium caramel flan latte with whipped cream, yelled the young, petite, blonde lady wearing a green apron behind the Starbucks counter.

Beverly Lots, head of the Culinary Ministry at Abundant Truth Baptist Church, placed her Sunday-school book on the table, rose from her chair, quickly walked toward the counter, and received her drink. Thank you, Beverly said to the young lady behind the counter as she accepted her latte. Then she returned to her table and comfortable chair and continued reading the Sunday school lesson for the coming Sunday. She had chosen to sit in the far corner at Starbucks.

Abundant Truth Baptist Church was located on the north side of Jacksonville, Florida, around the 500 block of Kings Road. Beverly had been a member for about 10 years and had served as head of the Culinary Ministry for the past three years. Prior to the new pastor’s arrival there, she had received no complaints regarding the services she provided to the good members of the church. It was Thursday afternoon and she was preparing herself for a long and busy Sunday.

While reading her Sunday school lesson, Beverly noticed a biker had entered the parking lot. The rider slowly drove to the parking space directly in front of the window next to where she was sitting. Beverly had a flashback about her former days when she was young and reckless, hanging out with a group of bikers who only lived for the moment. That was years ago; before she gave her life to Jesus.

Beverly began to reminisce about the days when she owned a 1990 Honda Nighthawk 250 and rode with the love of her life in Jackson, Mississippi. Her parents didn’t approve of the young man she rode with. They told her a million times he was up to no good and not ready for a family. Beverly was not thinking about a family, she just wanted to be with Bernard Williams. No matter what her parents told her, she was going to be with him. Their relationship lasted four years.

One summer, they took a bike trip from Jackson, Mississippi to Los Angeles, California. Beverly and Bernard were putting Mississippi and all of the negative people in their lives behind them. The 1,842-mile trip took the couple three months. They took their time visiting friends and family, as well as riding with various biker clubs without a worry in the world. At one point while in Los Angeles, Beverly and Bernard had no job, money, place to live, or food to eat. Even worse, was that Beverly was pregnant with their first son. After three months of living on the street, lying, cheating, and stealing to feed themselves, Beverly called her mother and asked for permission to return home. Her mother wired her money for a bus ride home on the same day. Beverly left Bernard in Los Angeles and returned to her parent’s home.

At the age of 20, with a newborn baby, Beverly quickly became bored while watching her young sister, cousins, and friends having fun attending high school ball games, along with having the freedom to come and go without the headaches of raising a baby. By this time, she had a 10-week-old son. Beverly yearned to see Bernard again because he was someone who loved her and she recalled having daily fun with him. She quickly forgot about living on the streets of Los Angeles.

Snapping out of her daydream, Beverly noticed that the person outside parking the motorcycle was a woman. She smiled. The biker stepped off the bike and removed her left glove from her hand. Beverly saw that the biker was a black female; she smiled again and slowly admired the perfect shape of the biker’s body. As she sat at the Starbucks table, she continued to marvel at the biker’s every movement. The lady removed the second glove from her hand and placed it on her seat. Beverly was in awe of how well kept her hands were - fingernails nicely polished with a mature and conservative look. She was in love with the biker because she was everything she wanted for herself.

Slowly removing her helmet, the biker placed it on top of her gloves and then used her fingers to comb out her hair. Beverly was really impressed with the tall, sexy, black female biker with long hair, a perfect body, black leather attire, and two-inch heeled boots. The woman turned around and quickly made eye contact with Beverly. Instantly, Beverly’s heart dropped, as she was looking eye-to-eye with Joanne Sharanay McCoy, who was first lady of Abundant Truth Baptist Church.

Joanne unzipped her leather jacket and walked toward the entrance of Starbucks. She entered the coffee shop, proceeded to the counter, and purchased a bottle of water. She handed the young lady behind the counter two one-dollar bills then walked over to join Beverly Lots in the corner.

What are you doing here? Beverly asked Joanne with a mean expression on her face.

I’m here to see you. You did tell me you would be here, Joanne replied with a smile and then opened her bottled water, took a sip, and placed it on the table.

Yes, but why are we meeting?

Well I was at the hair salon and… Before Joanne could say another word, Beverly interrupted.

Listen here lady; I know you’re here to talk about the statement I made at the last church meeting. And trust me, no matter what you or your husband say things are not going to change. The Culinary Ministry is my ministry and I will run things based on my experience and what I think is right. That’s what I said to your husband, Pastor Jerome Samiah McCoy, as well as the entire church. If the church board doesn’t like the way I’m running my ministry, they can replace me. I take my orders from the most high, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In all honesty, I really don’t care what you and the pastor thinks. If the congregation doesn’t like the food I provide, tell them not to eat it. I cannot believe the pastor has the audacity to say I need to provide healthy menu options for the members. Each Sunday, people eat what I provide them; and trust me when I say that every Sunday, the food is all gone. So why should the church spend money trying to feed people healthy food if they’re not complaining?

The problem is not the food I’m putting out; the problem is people are lazy. Young kids today sit around their homes, playing video games, and surfing the internet all day. Some of the local high schools only have a varsity team for sports. They should have a freshman and sophomore team as well. The reason they only have a varsity team is because these young children today don’t want to play sports. Also, their stupid parents allow them to lounge about and be lazy. It would be okay if they stayed home and read some books instead of constantly using cell phones, internet, TV, and video games.

Tell the pastor to preach to the parents about being good parents. Tell him to talk to the young kids about exercising and not being so lazy. Tell him to organize an exercise club. He looks like he works out daily. Last, tell him to stay out of my ministry. I was running it before he arrived and I I’ll be running it long after he’s gone. I promise you that! Taking a sip of her caramel flan latte with whipped cream, Beverly smiled.

Joanne smiled also, took a drink from her water bottle and then smiled again. It was the most beautiful smile a person could have.

Ms. Lot, please accept my apology if I misled you. I’m not here to talk about church business. We can do that during the church business meeting. Also, the pastor is capable of speaking for himself; he doesn’t need me to speak on his behalf.

As I was saying, I was at the hair salon at River City Marketplace for the past three weeks helping Demetrius, my hairstylist, open his new salon. Demetrius and one of his stylists, Cynthia Brookin, are working hard to open up the salon.

Beverly’s heart dropped to her lap, recalling the millions of times when, as a young girl, her father would tell her and her sister to always be mindful of the things you do and say, because what you do in the dark will come to light. She knew one day her past would catch up with her; she was not thinking it would be today. The name she feared next to Jesus himself was Cynthia Brookin. It sent chills and fear throughout her body as if she was a hyena and Cynthia was Mufasa from the movie Lion King.

Cynthia said she knows you and your husband and have been trying to get in touch with the two of you. I didn’t want to give her your phone number without your permission, so she asked me to deliver a package to both of you. She said you guys would be glad to get it. Then Joanne reached into her small, black, Michael Kors bag, pulled out an envelope that was sealed with tape, and handed it to Beverly. Cynthia’s name, phone number, email address, and mailing address were on the envelope. Beverly reluctantly accepted the small package. She felt she was being blackmailed, but was not sure what to say.

I need to go to the restroom. I’ll be right back. Joanne excused herself as she rose from her chair and walked to the restroom in the far corner of their location.

Beverly watched Joanne walk away. After she was out of sight, she opened the envelope, and her worst nightmare came true. The past of her and her husband, Deacon Charles Lots, had just caught up with them. She would do anything to keep this information under lock and key. She wondered how much Joanne knew…how much Cynthia shared with her.

At the young age of 20, with a three-month-old son, Bernard returned to Jackson, Mississippi, and reentered Beverly’s life. Three months later, Beverly was pregnant and Bernard was locked up for breaking into a local store. After serving one year and a day in the state prison, he was released and resumed his relationship with Beverly once again. She realized her children’s father was trouble. Nevertheless, she loved the adventure he brought into her boring life.

At 22-years-old, Beverly was still living with her parents and raising two boys under the age of three. One night, while hanging out with Bernard, he told her he was going to a friend’s house. He parked his friend’s car on the street, far away from any streetlight, and walked about five houses down. Beverly recognized it was trouble, so she got out of the car and started walking home. At that point, she knew the relationship between her and Bernard was over. She also had to face the reality that he would not change and she had two sons to raise. Later that night, she learned that Bernard broke into a home. The elderly lady, who was the homeowner, died from a heart attack. This time, Bernard was going to prison for murder for 50 years. She was elated she had the strength to get out of the car and walk home that night.

With rumors in the community about her and her boyfriend, the thug, Bernard Williams, Beverly and her mother created a plan for her to move to East St. Louis and stay with her mother’s older brother, Pastor Robert Dwayne Bradley. For the next five years of Beverly’s life, she went to church and college and focused all of her attention on raising her two sons. When she turned 27, she began dating a church member, Charles Lots, and soon they got married. Her uncle performed the ceremony at his church. Within a year of getting married, Charles's job gave him a promotion and moved the family to Jacksonville, Florida.

This was the third time in Charles’s life that he had been outside of Illinois – once to Mississippi with Beverly, once on a cruise for his honeymoon, and now Jacksonville. Beverly realized that even with her perfect life, she still had a wild side that kept surfacing. After months of talking to her mother about it, she took her mother’s advice and shared her feelings with her husband, hoping he would attend counseling with her.

However, she learned that Charles had a wild side as well. He confessed to his wife about his desires as well as the adventures of his heart. With three children, the two Beverly had prior to meeting Charles and one they had together, the couple decided to act on their feelings, hoping it was something that would pass soon. Albeit short, that untamed portion of their lives was a mere figment of their imagination. Regrettably, it was haunting her at the worst time.

Cynthia Brookin was a white female, 5’7" tall, size ten, and loved to wear three-inch heels shoes and short skirts. She was once the principal of a local high school in Jacksonville. For five consecutive years, she won the Principal of the Year award. However, she was a school principal during the day and an organizer at night, organizing swinging parties between the Jacksonville and Orlando areas for adults and married couples. After losing her job as school principal, due to her late evening entertainment, Cynthia became a hairstylist by day. Yet she continued to actively arrange adult entertainment; swinging.

Joanne returned from the restroom.

Well, my work here is done; I need to go now, Joanne announced as she picked up her water and placed it in her Michael Kors bag. You have a nice day now; I’ll see you Sunday in church. Joanne turned around and had taken two steps before Beverly called her name.

Ms. McCoy, please know I am not one of the women you need to be concerned about.

Beverly was referring to Sofia Gomez and Coleen Walker, two ladies at Abundant Truth Baptist Church, who had the reputation of having love affairs with men of power, such as CEOs and politicians, as well as leaders and pastors of mega churches. Currently, the two